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Chemical Senses Advance Access published online on January 27, 2009
Chemical Senses, doi:10.1093/chemse/bjn081
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Blocking Glutamate Receptors in the Waist Area of the Parabrachial Nucleus Decreases Taste Reactivity Behaviors in Conscious Rats

Joseph W. Biondolillo, Learnel A. Williams and Michael S. King

Biology Department, Stetson University, DeLand, FL 32723, USA

Correspondence to be sent to: Michael S. King, Biology Department, Stetson University, DeLand, FL 32723, USA. e-mail: mking{at}stetson.edu


  Abstract

The "waist" area (W) of the parabrachial nucleus contains neurons that receive orosensory input and play a role in the initiation of oromotor behaviors. Immunohistochemical data indicate that neurons in W receive glutamatergic input and express glutamate receptors, but a behavioral role for glutamate neurotransmission within W has not been investigated. To determine the role of specific glutamate receptors in taste reactivity behaviors, glutamate receptor blockers were delivered into W by reverse microdialysis during intraoral infusion of 0.1 M sodium chloride, 0.1 M sucrose, 0.03 M hydrochloric acid, and 0.003 M quinine hydrochloride. Blocking {alpha}-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA)/kainate ionotropic glutamate receptors in W with 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione disodium (CNQX) reduced ingestive taste reactivity behaviors to each tastant by 72–85% compared with baseline levels (P’s < 0.05). Blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors as well as type 1 and group III metabotropic glutamate receptors had minor effects on taste reactivity responses to the tastants. These data provide strong evidence for a behavioral role of glutamatergic neurotransmission in W in conscious rats.

Key words: AMPA receptors, gustation, orosensory, pons, reverse microdialysis

Accepted 4 December 2008


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